Relay for electric systems



March 22 1927.

F. J. MILES ET AL RELAY FOR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS Filed May 20, 1924 auoento'as 5% can: my; 3 lama 13 .211, swim M22??? Patented Mar. 2.2, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. MILES AND DONALD C. THOMPSON, OF NElVARK, NEW JERSEY, AS- SIGNORS TO AUTOMOTIVE DEVICES, INC, OF NE'WARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

RELAY FOR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS.

Application filed May 20, 1924.

This invention relates more particularly to a class of electrical devices.

Our invention has for its object primarily to provide a relay or device designed to be employed in electric circuits especially of classes in which are interposed a number of lamps adapted to be lighted and extinguished by the operation of a number of independently operative switches, such as may be provided on automobile and other vehicles for indicating their course of travel to give timely Warning to persons, in order to prevent the occurrence of accidents, and which when used in the signal system of a vehicle also permits the lighting and extinguishing of the lamps to be effectually and conveniently controlled by the operator of the vehicle as well as enabling a tell-tale lamp to be lighted simultaneously with the lighting of each signal lamp so that the operator may observe the proper display of-the required signal as occasion requires.

The invention resides mainly in a conductive pole member mounted upon and insulated from the core of an electro-magnet for being interposed in an electric circuit, and the conductive pole member has an inclined surface portion in opposed relation to the core of the magnet. Also on the magnet in opposed relation to its core is a yielding armature disposed for making a wiping contact with the inclined surface portion of the pole member when the armature is attracted to the core with the energizing of the magnet, the wiping movement of the armature serving to clear the inclined surface portion of the core member of particles of dust or other insulating substances which may settle thereon so that the closing of the circuit with the energizing of the magnet will be free of liability of interference at all times.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical relay of a simple, efficient and durable construction which may be made in any appropriate size and shape.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention will be hereinafter more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. and will then be pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

Serial No. 714,595.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan, partly broken away, of one form of electrical relay embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, partly 'ragmentary and partly broken away, of the device as taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit for a signalling system for vehicles, and which shows the manner of employing the relay in the circuit.

The device or relay has an electro-magnet 10 which may be of the usual or any preferred type having the core 11 with the spaced insulating end plates 12 and 13, and on the core between these plates is the winding, as 14.. Oneend of the core 11 protrudes beyond the insulating plate 13, and the other end of the magnet may be fastened by a bolt and nut, as 1 or otherwise to the conductive plate, as 15, which may be the partof the casing of a vehicle signal, not shown. hen forming a portion of the signal casing the plate 15 serves as a ground, and one end of the winding 14 is connected, at 16, to this plate.

Fixedto the protruding end of the core member 11 of the electro-magnct may be a conductive plate 17 disposed across the magnet, and this plate may be substantially rectangular as well as being of a length so that its ends terminate at some distance from the magnet. In one end of the plate 17 is an opening 18, and extending angularly from the other end of this plate 17 may be a substantially rectangular arm 19 having an opening 20 therethrough.

On the end of the conductive plate 17 above the opening 18 is a conductive pole member 21 which may be of substantially a Z-shape to provide a lower arm, as 22, an upwardly extending inclined arm or surface portion, as 23, and an upper arm, as 24. This pole member is disposed so that its inclined surface portion 23 is in opposed relation to the core 11 of the magnet and so that the upper arm 24; overhangs the surface portion. In a groove, as 25, provided on the underside of the upper arm 24 may be held an insulating plate or stop, as 26. The lower arm 22 of the polemember 21 is held to the conductive plate 17 by means of a threaded bolt 27 having its shank fitting closely in a hole provided in the lower arm of the pole member so that conductive engagement is formed bet-ween the bolt and the pole memher. The shank ofthe bolt extends through the opening 18 of the plate 17 of the core of the magnet, and the bolt is insulated from the plate 17 by a ring or annular disk as 28, of insulating material which is fitted between the bolt and the edge of the opening 18. Between the plate 17 and the lower arm 22 of the pole member 21 may be an insulating .washer 28 which encircles the shank of the bolt, and also on the shank of the bolt under the plate 17 may be an in sulating washer 29. On the th-readed'end of the bolt 27 may be screwed two nuts, as 30, 31, and to the shank of the bolt between these nuts is held an end of the wire, as 32, of an electric Circuit, as 33, Fig. 3. The bolt 27 thereby serves as a conductive connection for 'interposing the pole member 21 in the circuit. p

In theopening 20 of the arm 19 of the conductive plate 17 is disposed the shank of a threaded bolt 34 and encircling the shank of the bolt is a ring or annular disk '35 of insulating. material which is arranged in the opening 20 of thear'm 19 for insulating the bolt from the plate 17. On the shank of the bolt between its head and the arm 19 of the plate 17'may' be an insulating washer 36, and on: the shank of the bolt under the plate 17 may be another insulating washer 37. To the shank of this belt under the washer 37 is held the second end, as 38, of the winding 24 "of the magnet, and screwed on the bolt under this end of the winding are two spaced nuts 39-, 40 for clamping to the bolt one end of a wire, as 41, of the electric circuit 33. The bolt '34 thereby serves as a conductive'connection for interposing the winding of the magnet in the circuit.

To the end of the conductive plate 17 at its 19 is fastened, at 42, one end of an armature 43 which is preferably in the form of a conductive strip of spring metal. The end portion of the yielding or resilient armature at the fastening 42 may be bent angularly upward, and the armature is disposed lengthwise of the conductive plate 17 in spaced relation to the core 11 of the magnet. The armature is of a length so that its second end terminates in spaced relation to the inclinedsurtace portion '23 of the pole member 21, and the free end part of the armature or strip may be bent, as at 44, 'upwardly on an'incline similar to the incline of the surface Portion of the pole member. The armature or yielding strip 43 is tensioned so that its inclined end 44 normally engages the insulating plate or stop 26 of the upper ar1n24 of the pole member 21 to limit the movement of the armature to a determined distance from the core of the magnet, and on the central part of the armature may be a conductive head or block of metal disposed for engaging the core of the magnet when energized. In Fig. 3 is shown a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit 33, such as may be used in a signal device or system employed on automobiles or other vehicles for indicating the direc tion of travel.

The electric circuit 33 has the wire 32 leading from the pole member 21 to ground, as 47, which may be the casing of the signal. interposed in the wire 3 may be one of the poles, as 48, 49, 50, adapted to be detachably ei'i-ga-ged by three independently operative switches, as 51, 52 53, and also interposed in the wire 32 may be a'tell-tale lamp, as 54-. The Wire 4.1 leading from one end of the winding'14 ot' the magnet leads to the second pole of the switch 53, and in the wire may be interposed a signal lamp 55. Another wire-56 leads from the wire 41 to the second pole of the switch 52, and in this wire is in terposed a signal lamp 57. Leading'ti'oin the wire 41 to the second pole of the switch 51 is a third wire and in this wire is interposed a signal lamp 59. In the drawing the lamps 55, 57, 59 are designated by the letters L. S. Rindicating le ft, stop and right. The wire 5320f the circuit leads from one terminal of a battery or source of electric energy, as 60, and leading from the second terminal of the battery to ground 47 is a wire 61. lV-henthe switch 51 is closed upon the pole 43, the circuit will be closed from the battery over wire 32, and from the bat tery the circuit will be closedthrough the grounds 47 and 15, over the winding 14 ot the magnetand over wire 58 to the switch. The magnet will then be energized for attracting to its core the arn'iature 43 which in turn will cause its bent end-'44 to make a wiping Contact with the inclined surface portion 23 ot the pole member 21, and the lamp 5'9 with the telltale lamp 54 will be lighted. hen the switch 52 is closed upon the-pole 49 the circuit will be closed from the battery 60 over the wire 32 to the pole member 21, and fromthe battery the circuit will be closed through the grouncs 47 and 15, over the winding of the magnet, over wire 41 and over-wire to the'switch 52. I The energizing ot' the magnet will attract to its core the armature 43 for Causing wiping contact by the bent end 44 with the inclined surface portion 23 of the pole member $31, and the lamp 57 with the tell-tale lamp will be lighted! When the switch 53 is closed upon the pole 50 the circuit will be closed from thebattery-(SO, over the wire-'32 to the pole member 21, and from the battery the circuit will be closed through the grounds 47 and 15, over he winding of the i'nagnet and over wire 41 to the switch --The energizing of the magnet will attract to its core the armature 43 for causing a wiping llO contact by the bent end 4st with the inclined surface portion 23 of the pole member 21, and the lamp 55 with the tell-tale lamp 5% will be lighted.

In the foregoing description, we have em bodied the preferred form of our invention, but we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves thereto, as we are aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, therefore, we reserve to ourselves the right to make such changes as fairly fall .within the scope thereof.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an electrical relay, an electromagnet provided with a core, a conductive armature support carried by one end of the core, an armature of resilient metal having one end secured to said support and an intermediate portion spaced from the core, a sub-- stantially Z-shaped contact member secured to the other end of said support but insulated therefrom, said armature and contact member having bent end portions adapted to make wiping contact when the armature is attracted to the core of the electromagnet and a non-conductive stop member for said armature carried by the bent portion of said contact member.

2. A relay for electric systems, comprising an el-ectro-magnet having a conductive pole member insulated from the core of the magnet for being interposed in an electric circuit and the pole member having an inclined surface portion opposed to the core of the magnet, a yielding armature carried on the magnet in spaced relation to its core and said armature having an inclined surface end in spaced proximity to the inclined surface portion of the pole member whereby the inclined end of the armature will make a wiping contactmovement with the inclined sur face portion of the pole member when the armature is attracted to the core with the energizing of the magnet, and an insulating stop on the pole member above its inclined surface portion to limit the normal movement of the armature from the core of the magnet.

3. A relay for electric systems, comprising an electromagnet, a plate fixed on one end of the core of the magnet, a conductive pole member held and insulated upon one end of the plate for being interposed in an electric circuit and having an inclined surface portion opposed to the core of the magnet, a yielding armature carried on the plate in spaced relation to the core of the magnet and the armature having an inclined surface end in spaced proximity to the inclined surface portion of the pole member whereby the inclined end of the armature will make a wiping contact movement with the inclined surface portion of the pole member when the armature is attracted to the core with the energizing of the magnet, and an insulating stop on the pole member above its inclined surface portion to limit the normal movement of the armature from the core of the magnet.

4. A relay for electric systems, comprising an electromagnet, a conductive plate on one end of the core of the magnet, a conductive pole member disposed upon and insulated from one end of the plate and having an inclined surface portion in opposed relation to the core of the magnet, conductive connections for interposing the pole member in an electric circuit and detachably fastening the pole member and plate together, conductive connections held to and insulated from the other end of the conductive plate for interposing the magnet in the circuit, and a yielding armature of resilient metal carried on the plate in spaced relation to the core of the magnet for making a wiping contact movement with the inclined surface portion of the pole member when the armature is attracted to the core with the energizing of the magnet.

5. A relay for elect lc systems, comprising an electromagnet, a conductive plate on one end of the core of the magnet, a Z-shaped conductive pole member disposed upon and insulated from one end of the plate and having an inclined surface portion in 0pposed relation to the core of the magnet, conductive connections for interposing the pole member in an electric circuit and detachably fastening the pole member and plate together, conductive connections held to and insulated from the other end of the conductive plate for interposing one end of the winding of the magnet in the circuit, means on the magnet providing a ground to which leads the other end of the winding, and a yielding armature carried on the plate in spaced relation to the core of the magnet and the armature having an inclined surface end in spaced proximity to the inclined surface portion of the pole member whereby the inclined end of the armature will make a wiping contact movement with the inclined surface portion of the pole member when the armature is attracted to the core with the energizing of the magnet.

6. A relay comprising an elxectron'iagnct, a support carried by the core of said. magnet, an armature of resilient metal secured at one end to said support and having its free end bent to form an inclined contact surface. a substantially Z-shaped pole member carried by, but insulated from. said support adjacent the free end of said armature, said pole member including an inclined contact portion and a projecting stop portion cooperating with the bent portion of said armature,

i said stop, portion havingomeans for supportlnge an insulating element on the surface a'djacent said bent end of the armature.

7. The combination, in a relay for electric systems, with an electro-magnet, of a sub stantially Z'shaped conductive pole element supported on the magnet and insulated from the core of the magnet for being interposed in an electric circuit, said pole element having its inclined member and upper arm disposed in spaced opposition to the core'ot the magnet, a magnetic conductive spring strip supported in spaced relation to the core of the'n'iagifiet and having one of its ends bent on an incline in spaced proximity to the pole element whereby the inclined end of the strip will make wiping contact movement with the inclined member of the pole element when the strip is attracted to the core with the energizing of the magnet, and an insulating plate on the underside of the upper arm of the Z-shaped pole element to limit the normal movementof the strip from the core of the magnet.

8; The combination, in a relay for electric systems, with an el'ectro-magnet, of a conductive plate fixed on one end of the core a of the magnet so that it extends crosswise of the magnet, a substantially 'Z-shap'ed contion to the core of the magnet with its iiiclined end in spaced proximity to the iiiclined member of the pole element whereby the inclined end of the strip Will make a wiping contact movement with the inclined member of the pole element when the strip is attracted to the core with energizing of i the magnet, an insulating plate on the underside of the upp'er arm of the Z-shaped pole element to limit the normal movement of the strip from the core of the magnet, conduc tive connections for interposingl'the pole element in an electric circuit, and conductive connections for intcrposing the winding of the magnet in the electric circuit.

This specification signed and witnessed;

this 19th day of May, A. D1924,

FREDERICK J. ,MiLES. DONALD o. THOMPSON. 

